Deathwing
Khaz'Goroth, the Titan shaper and forger of the world, bestowed some of his vast power upon the mighty black wyrm, Neltharion. The great-hearted Neltharion, known afterwards as the Earth-warder was given dominion over the earth and the deep places of the world. He embodied the strength of the world and served as Alexstrasza's greatest supporter. But as Deathwing the Destroyer, he would become her greatest enemy... The War of the Ancients Neltharion has control over the land, and its fathoms, including lava. His main attack is a spit of Core lava fire. He can live within volcanoes and high temperature areas. It is rumored that he was able to find the prison of the Old Gods. The inner-voices of the three Old gods convinced him that he could have power beyond his imagination if he served them. The voices made him paranoid of even his black dragonflight. Neltharion wanted a world where only he and his dragonflight and some servants that yield to him could exist. A world where all the other dragonflights no longer existed, and where Ysera and Alexstrasza would be his petty slaves for mating. The Old gods convinced Neltharion to create the Dragon Soul -- later known as the Demon Soul. With the help of goblins, Neltharion created the simple golden disc. It was made of Neltharion's blood and forged in the goblin's cauldrons and anvils deep beneath the earth. Empowered by Neltharion's magic, the simple golden disc was shielded magically so that the other Dragon Aspects couldn't see within the disc. There was an evil within the disc, some taint of the Old Gods. It is unknown as to what content of the Old Gods the disc had. Neltharion captured a demon of the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients and placed the Dragon Soul on its forehead. The demon was consumed, leaving just his ashes and skull. Neltharion removed the disc from the remains of the demon's skull. Back to the den of the Dragon Aspects, Neltharion convinced Malygos to help him with the other Dragon Aspects. All of them agreed to give a portion of their powers to the Dragon Soul, including all dragons of their dragonflights. Neltharion proposed that the Dragon Soul disc could be a weapon of great power to destroy the demons of the Burning Legion. Neltharion, the Dragon Aspects and their dragonflights flew toward Zin-Azshari where the Night Elves held the demons at bay. The Ancients had not come. Seeing the sky full of dragons, the Night Elves thought they were now going to win the war. Heralded by the black dragon Neltharion, the dragons awaited his first attack. Neltharion grabbed the Dragon Soul and decimated most of the demons with one swing of radiant magic that swept the ground. The Dragon Aspects watched in horror as Neltharion also killed hundreds of Night Elves and other allies along with the demons. Neltharion revealed the depths of his betrayal at last. He was the only one who did not give of his powers to the Dragon Soul. Now with the disc at his command he wanted all races and the demons to see his power and to bow to him. The Dragon Aspects attacked Neltharion in an attempt to take the Dragon Soul from him and to reason with him in hopes of determining the cause of his perfidy. Malygos' Blue Dragonflight surrounded Neltharion, but with a swing of the Demon Song all the blue dragons perished, becoming dust. The next swing of the Demon Soul paralyzed all dragonflights and the Dragon Aspects in mid-air, rendering them unable to move nor speak. Only Alexstrasza was allowed by Neltharion to speak when he wished. The revelation of his betrayal and the use of the demon soul transformed Neltharion's body. His body cracked open, revealing his molten heart, and magma and fire flowed off his chest. His eyes became aflame in red, demonstrating the magnitude of his power and the depths of his evil. Thus was Deathwing the Destroyer born. The Rise of the Destroyer Deathwing struck out at the Dragon Aspects and their dragonflights, destroying them and scattering them far across the land. In desperation, the Aspects shielded themselves and hid to become undetected even by each other. thumb|Deathwing Neltharion's betrayal had striken a great blow to the Aspects, and their fear to be destroyed like the blue dragonflight kept them in seclusion. Deathwing returned to his lair beneath a mountain. His proximity to the Demon Soul was ripping his body apart, so the Goblins forged an armor of adamantium to serve as a vessel to contain Deathwing's raging powers in check. Only the adamantium plates kept the power from destroying his body. The Old Gods manipulated Deathwing into creating the Demon Soul, but their true intention was that the demons would inform their lord Sargeras of the great power of the weapon used against them. Sargeras would no doubt want the Demon Soul to power the gateway that would let him enter Azeroth. By using the Demon Soul to amplify the gateway, the three Old Gods hoped to escape their prison beneath the planet. However, Malfurion Stormrage used the Emerald Dream to find Deathwing's lair and stole the Demon Soul from the black dragon. Malfurion could hear the voices of the Old Gods coming from within the Demon Soul, asking him to wield the power. He used the Demon Soul to escape by opening a path through the mountain. The more Malfurion used the Demon Soul's power, the more tainted he became with the voices. Malfurion finally broke away from the corrupting thoughts, and put the Demon Soul away, lest he be tempted to use it. Illidan and Varo'then captured Malfurion and took the Demon Soul. Varo'then -- successor in command in replacement to Lord Xavius by order of Queen Azshara -- held the Demon Soul on their way back to Zin-Azshari. During his travel, even Varo'then felt the whisperings of the Old Gods. Once at the palace, Varo'then gave the Demon Soul to Mannoroth the Destructor, the general of the Legion's armies. It was used to power up the portal that would allow Sargeras to enter Azeroth. After the Burning Legion was defeated, the Dragon Aspects sealed the Demon Soul with their energies, and now Neltharion may never use the Demon Soul. The artifact was hidden in an undisclosed location by Malfurion at the request of the Dragon Aspects. No longer in possession of the artifact and now unable to use it, Neltharion vowed to destroy most life and to wreak havoc on the planet. With his powers over earth, Nelfurion caused volcanoes to rise along with the destruction already caused by the Well of Eternity's implosion, sinking most of Kalimdor below the ocean. The Second War Ten thousand years later, near the end of the Second War, the black dragon traveled through the Dark Portal to Draenor. Believing the world to be a relatively safe haven for his offspring, he secreted away a cache of black dragon eggs. Following the war, Ner'zhul recklessly opened multiple portals on Draenor, and the magical stress tore the planet apart. The energies released in this catastrophe altered Deathwing's eggs, resulting in the nether drakes: partially corporeal and partially ethereal dragons who possess the ability to shift between the astral and physical planes. Without Deathwing's guidance, these otherworldly nether drakes are just now finding their own way among the blasted ruins of Outland. Originally, in Warcraft 2, Deathwing was slain by the Alliance Expedition on Draenor, some time before Ner'zhul's actions doomed the planet. ''Day of the Dragon retconned this with the current history, accepted as correct.'' After the separation from his offspring on Draenor, Deathwing discovered the Demon Soul's location. Although he couldn't wield its power because of the enchantment placed upon it by the Dragon Aspects, he realized that he co with the Dragonmaw Clan. A goblin servant of Deathwing was sent to infiltrate the Dragonmaw Clan and to serve Nekros Skullcrusher. Unknown to Nekros, he was being manipulated by the goblin who was doing Deathwing's bidding. Nekros was given the Demon Soul by his Warchief so that he might find a use for the Demon Soul. Although the warlock had no clue as to the power he was wielding, he was able to tap into enough of its power to kidnap Alexstrasza, her elder consort Tyranastrasz and some of her eggs. The goblin, following orders from Deathwing, whispered ideas to Nekros. He used his many pawns to maneuver the mage Rhonin (who his nemesis, Korialstrasz, had been using to attempt to free his lover Alexstrasza), trapped in Grim Batol. Deathwing tried to frighten the Orcs into believing that the Humans were attacking, so that they would move Alexstrasza, and, more importantly, her eggs, north to Dun Algaz, leaving her open for attack and her eggs open to be stolen. Deathwing wished steal Alextrasza's latest cache for himself to create a new dragonflight- though bearing the crimson scales of the Dragonqueen, they would be raised by Deathwing and carry his hatred for the mortal races. His attack, however, failed. Rhonin discovered the weakness of the Demon Soul and destroyed it, releasing all the powers of the dragons who had given their power ten thousand years earlier. Deathwing was sent retreating with four very angry, fully-empowered Dragon Aspects on his heels. It is said that it will be long before he attempts to once again cause havoc upon the world. Onyxia and Nefarian, offspring of Deathwing, in the absence of their father, now try to take control over the world. Onyxia's lair is in the Wyrmbog in Southern Dustwallow Marsh on Kalimdor, while Nefarian's lair is now Blackrock Spire, atop the Blackrock Mountain in the Burning Steppes. Onyxia is posing as a human counselor for the new child King of Stormwind under the name of Lady Katrana Prestor (an homage to her father's alias during the Alterac crisis). Nefarian poses as a human named Lord Victor Nefarius -- Lord of the Blackrock Mountain. He was able to enslave the Blackrock Clan orcs which now serve him. Nefarian wishes to take control of the lower Blackrock Mountain, trying to destroy the Dark Iron Dwarves and Ragnaros. Once the nuisance has been dealt with, Nefarian plans to take control of the world, while his sister Onyxia destroys the Alliance from within as Lady Prestor. Of Deathwing, nothing is known. Not even his offspring knows. He could be hiding, but another rumor from Warcraft RPG: Lands of Conflict is that Deathwing might possibly be held prisoner by Alexstrasza at Grim Batol. Whether true or not, Alexstrasza and the Red Dragonflight do not let anyone near Grim Batol, for they are protecting something zealously within the walls of the fortress. It's improbable Deathwing returned to his lair on Draenor, since the Portals were closed, but there is a slim chance. The other Aspects are loathe to eliminate him, as the consequences are unforseeable. Deathwing as Lord Daval Prestor thumb|Daval Prestor during the Beta For a time after the Second War, Deathwing disguised himself as a human nobleman named Lord Prestor, and attempted to gain control over the nation of Alterac (Alterac had been annexed by the Alliance after Lord Perenolde's betrayal) by wedding Calia Menethil, the daughter of King Terenas. Through magic, he managed to make himself extremely popular with King Terenas and the nobles, and for a while gained strong influence in the decisions of state. His ultimate goal was to obtain a high level of power and influence within the Alliance, so he could destroy it from within. When Deathwing was forced to go into hiding, he was no longer able to keep up the disguise of Lord Daval Prestor. Lord Daval Prestor mysteriously vanished, and Deathwing's infuence over the nobles disappeared along with him, although his daughter Onyxia followed in her father's footsteps taking the Prestor name to attempt to also manipulate the Alliance. The only one to ever fully uncover the truth about his identity was the dragon mage Krasus (so presumably Alexstrasza knows as well). However, the Kirin Tor were able to discern that he was powerful being hiding in a human form. The mage Rhonin, recognized the form Deathwing took as Daval Prestor, but did not know his name. Memorable Quotes Alexstrasza: "I would prefer to give Nozdormu more time before we begin." Malygos: "Give the Timeless One more time? How droll! I will not let dour Nozdormu leave without pressing him on that jest!" Neltharion: "Yes and you will press him time and time again with it, will you not?" ---- Neltharion: "I am power incarnate! You are nothing but shadows of the past!" Alexstrasza: "Never underestimate what you may learn from the past, dark one..." ---- Neltharion: "Have you not been through enough? Will you continue to fight what you cannot defeat?" Alexstrasza: "You have caused too much misery, too much horror, Deathwing. Not just to us, but to the mortal creatures of this world!" Neltharion: "What are they to me - or, for that matter, even you? I will never understand that!" Alexstrasza: "No... you never will..." ---- "You know me... but I do not know you. You would speak against me... make the others see me as you do... you would have them distrust their comrade of old... their brother... You will not be allowed to spread any of your malicious falsehoods..." "No! I will say what will be done from here on! I, not you, Alexstrasza! Be silent!" "I give you permission to speak, dear Alexstrasza, but you should use it to plead for mercy for your crimes! You dare comdemn me?" "No! So, your betrayal worsens! You would take what is mine, what I've created, for yourself! I knew it! I knew that none of you could be trusted! Be silent again!" "After I have slain all of you, I shall take your eggs, Alexstrasza, and create my perfect world!"" ---- "Do you like fire? I'm full of it." Also known as: * The Earth-Warder * Neltharion the Betrayer * Deathwing * Deathwing the Destroyer * Xaxas (High-Elven name) * Blood's Shadow (Orc name) * Lord Prestor (Human form) A talk with a Blizzard rep. Nethaera: Death is in Grim Batol. ;) You go in first and I'll follow after you I swear! Poster #1: Death(wing) ? Poster #1: Neth, what about the rumor of Deathwing being imprisoned inside of Grim Batol? Nethaera: I can not confirm or deny any such rumor. I honestly don't know if it's true or not. I bet that would be very interesting though. I wonder what weapon you'd need to slice through HIS scales. Sources * BlizzPlanet.com * LunarFalls.com Statistics of Deathwing from Warcraft II * 800 HP (+700% more than a regular Dragon) * Armor 10 (+100% more than a regular Dragon) * Damage 13-35 (+71% more than a regular Dragon) * Sight 9 (+50% more than a regular Dragon) * Speed 14 (same as a regular Dragon) * Range 5 (+25% more than a regular Dragon) Category:Game Characters Category:Major Characters Category:Lore Characters Category:Lore Category:Dragons